"Well, you might at least give me something for the pain," Churchie grumbled. He lowered himself again onto the cot that doubled as an operating table.

"I'mgoing to give you something," Bertinelli said. "I'm going to give you a square meter less skin if you don't shut up and lie still." He touched the deep burn over Dwyer's right shoulder blade. The mesh of sensors and tiny hooks in the glove's pad began to purr. Under the control of a microprocessor in the wristlet, the glove was lifting off dead tissue to prepare the area for antiseptic and a covering of spray skin. In the same mild voice, the Corpsman added, "I can see the bombs starting fires and blowing the trash into your shelter. But I'mdamned if I see why you thought you had to lie in it. And I'd like to know what you found to bathe in that had such a pong, too."

"Do you suppose we'll get paid again before we move, Churchie?"Del asked. "I'd like to-for the girls again, you know. Usually there aren't girls where we go." There was a troupe of prostitutes at Smiricky #4, intended for the contract miners but available to the garrison as well.

"Think we'll be pulling back soon, then?" Bertinelli asked with just a hint of tension. He lifted the glove and began to spray the debrided area.

"Sometimes,"Del said in a neutral voice. "They're doing a lot of talking."

Churchie snorted. He continued to lie flat with his eyes closed. "Happen to notice which direction the transponder dish was pointed, baby?" he asked.

Delturned to his companions. The featureless visor was a stage beyond even the big man's usual moon-faced innocence. "East, Churchie," he said.

"Right, my dear," Churchie agreed. "And does that tell you anything?"

The Corpsman had stiffened, but after a moment he went on with his work in silence.

"No, Churchie," saidDel.

"Right again, sweetheart," Churchie bantered with his eyes closed. "Well, it might mean that they're talking to the Federal commander at the Front, that's true… but they haven't any business doing that, we're not under Second Army control, we're handled by Central from Praha… And Praha's west of here, unless they moved it since last night.